Wärtsilä and Aalto University sign partnership agreement to broaden cooperation

By broadening the scope of cooperation, Wärtsilä and Aalto University are looking to take on the challenges of climate change; scarcity of natural resources; and digitalisation together.

Wärtsilä and Aalto University have a long history of cooperation, which has been most active in engine research. Wärtsilä has also participated actively in Aalto University’s project courses, such as Product Development Project and International Design Business Management.

The agreement will open new cooperation opportunities in research and education, and in shared facilities, hubs, and platforms. Future research projects and interaction with students will support both parties’ strategies in creating solutions for a sustainable future.

Co-creation in joint innovation hubs

‘With digitalisation and sustainability playing an ever-increasing role in our business, we are enthusiastically looking to broadening the scope of cooperation with Aalto University to the areas that support us in this change’, says Jaakko Eskola, President and CEO of Wärtsilä Corporation.

‘Educating the experts of the future and supporting lifelong learning require active cooperation between industry, the university and its students. We are always excited to develop new ways of working together. Wärtsilä’s Smart Energy and Smart Marine Ecosystem plans open up a number of possibilities for multidisciplinary collaboration. At the same time, we are building a strong innovation ecosystem and new practices here in Otaniemi, which will benefit the university as well as companies,’ says Ilkka Niemelä, President of Aalto University.

Both parties will also explore possibilities of sharing spaces and opening up infrastructures on the Aalto campus as well as on the Wärtsilä Helsinki Campus and other Wärtsilä premises.

‘Wärtsilä Smart Technology Hub welcomes Aalto University students and researchers to co-create with wärtsilians and other partners,’ says Hannu Mäntymaa, Director for R&D and Engineering at Wärtsilä.

In a business that is increasingly based on digital solutions and networks between different partners and stakeholders, cyber security is one of the many themes of importance. ‘Recent studies have prompted us to consider what the key issue is, in terms of cybersecurity and security in general. We should ask “how can we strengthen trust?” rather than "how can we strengthen security?’, said Jarno Limnéll, Professor of Practice at Aalto University in the event following the signing of the partnership agreement.

The partnership agreement was signed on 11 February at Wärtsilä Helsinki Campus by the President and CEO of Wärtsilä Corporation, Jaakko Eskola, and the President of Aalto University, Ilkka Niemelä.